Method of and means for filtering fluid lubricants



A ril 2,1935. E. J. HALL 6,

METHOD OF AND MEANS FQR FILTERING FLUID LUBRICANTS Filed July so, 1952 ll qvEN'i' ol 6559672" HQZZ ATTORNEY I Patented Apr; a I

UNITED STATES (1,0 ,100 amnion or AND mums ron' m'mnma FLUID LUBRICANTSaim-taunt,

Application July so, 1932,- Serial No. 020,010

3' Claims. (01. 210-100) This'invention relates to filters for liquidsand more particularly to a method of and means for separating carbon andmetallic particlesirom oil used for lubricating the moving parts ofinternal combustion engines.

It is well known that it is highly desirable to I prevent passage orcarbon in lubricating oils to the working parts of an internalcombustion engine. It is also well known that as the result of theoperation of the moving parts 01 ari in.-- ternal combustion engine thelubricating oil'con-' tains metallic particles such as brass, babbitt,aluminum, etc. and that it is desirable to prevent these metallicparticles from being carried to the working parts of the engine.

The present invention contemplates a method ior positively preventingthe passage of carbon and these metallic particles to the working partsof an internal combustion engine.

In one form of the present invention advantage is taken of the wellknown fact that a mag netic'field serves to attract and hold metal suchas metal particles which invariablvoccur in lu- 1 a filter housingwhereby the metal particles in the fluid lubricant passing therethroughare at-. tracted and held and thus prevented from passing to the partsof an engine to be lubricated.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will be apparent from@the following description and the particular features of novelty willbe pointed out in the appended claims. Thefigure is a broken, sectionalview through ,a filter embodying the presentinvention.

To accomplish the above mentiond objects I use an oil filterwhich ismoreor less conve tional and which comprises an outer shell, us of metal,with an inner relatively concentric filter element Orstrainer. In use,'oil either passes be-' .tween the outer shell and the filter element,

thence through thefilter elementto the working parts of an engine-or theoil passes first through thefilter element to the space between the sameand the outer shell and then to the parts tobe lubricated. The filterelement or 'strainer of; a filter of more or less conventional typeusually includes a-jcenter piece of metal, usually tubular, and providedwith a plurality of openings througlr'which the.'fiuid lubricant passes;this center p'iece being surrounded by a metal gauze orstrainer whichlatter is surrounded by filter elements iorme'dof suitable fabric; theentire assembly just mentioned being assembled concentrically within anouter shell termed 0! metal.

bricating oils and the present invention co'ntem 25 plates theestablishing of a magnetic field within Berkeley, Calif.

In carrying out the present invention I preferably-embed within thefabric; filter elementsa solenoid which surrounds the center piece andwhich is connected to the standard automobile generator circuit so as tobe energized thereby during roperation of; the generator, thecenterpiece Iunctioningin the assembly as a magnetic core. In cooperation withthe solenoid and core 1 preferably embed within the fabric filterelements' a plurality of soit'iron washers which 10 surround the metalgauze and itis obvious that with such an assembly when the generator isin operation magnetic fields are established within the outer shell ofthe filter which, when the lubricant is being pumped through the filter,will 15 cause metallic particles therein tobe attracted and restrainedfrom passing through the filter into the parts or an engine which are tobe lubricated. I

No special design of filter is essential to a proper operation of thisimproved method of separating metallic substances or other impuritiesfrom the fluid lubricant andalmost any oil filter may be used. Thedrawing discloses a sectional view through a filter in which the presentinven- 25 tion is embodied and the filter comprises a main filter casing2 which'is removably attached in any suitable manner to a base 4 whichis ,provided with a sump '5, the lower end oi! which latter is normallyclosed by a plug 5. For sealing the joint go between the filter casingand base a suitable gas-' ket 8 is employed. I

The filter base 4 comprises a casting having an outer portion l0 and asubstantially centrally arrangedportion 12 provided with an opening I,the as central portion I! having an internally threaded recess I6 whichreceives the lower end portion of 'a stud bolt l8, centrally andlongitudinally cored as at 20 to provide an oil passage, as will be moreclearly described hereinaiter. Y

The upper end portion 01 the ,stud bolt is I squared as at 22 to fitwithin an internal boss .24, and the upper end portion oil -said boltprojects beyond the filter casing 2 and is threaded for the engagementof a securing nut 28. In the construction just described it is obviousthat the filter casing 2 andbase 4 are.held in asseinbled relation'bymeans of the nut 28 and the stud bolt I 3 r F The stud bolt l8 providesthe filter center piece I v and the same is provided with a pluralityof. oil passages 28 which communicate with the central passage 20 andthis center piece issurrounded Y by metallic" gauze or screening '30.Arranged around the center piece II and the gauze 30 are a plurality ofdiscs 32 formed of felt or other suitable fabric and they are retainedby top and bottom plates 34 and 36, respectively; plate'34 bearingagainst the boss 24 while the plate'36 rests 5 upon and is supported bythe portion I2 of the base casting 4.

Also surrounding the center piece I8 is a solenoid 38 which is mountedon a fibre bobbin 40 and has connection with electric conductors 42which are connected in the generator circuit of the vehicle. As clearlyshown in the drawing, these conductors 42 extend through an insulator 44arranged in a suitable opening in the filter casing 2.

Separating the fabric discs 32 is a plurality of spaced metallic washers46 which are formed of suitable magnetic material such as soft iron orthe like and they are arranged to surround the center piece I8 and thegauze.or strainer- 30.

In the instance shown in the drawing the filter casing 2 and the base 4are preferably "made of non-magnetic material and it will be apparentthat with the generator in operation the solenoid will be energized andthe center piece I 8 functions as a core therefor and that magneticfields will be established between the solenoid 38 and the severalmagnetic washers 46 thereby establishing within the filter casing 2 aplurality of magnetic fields which will serveto attract and holdmetallic particles and carbon in the -oil as it passes .through thefilter. In the instance shown the oil passes into the filter casing 2between the filter element formed on the'center piece l8 and com.-

prising the fabric discs 32 and the casing 2, the oil passage beingdesignated for purposes of convenience as 48. The oil will .pass throughthe discs 32 and through the strainer 36 into the' of residual magnetismin the washers 46 the magnetically-held metallic particles 1 will dropby gravity in the space 48 into the sump 5 and may 'be removedfrom thefilter upon removal of the 'plug 6. V

This invention also may be modified in such a manner as to provide amagnetic coil which externally surrounds the filter housing and merelyby way of example, a doughnut coil in circuit 'with the generator mayencircle the outer shell of the filter'and when energized cause magneticlines of force to be formed which are adapted to hold the metallicsubstances and other impurities in the oil to prevent their passage intothe engine. A coil of any preferred or desired type may be made toaccomplish this purpose and the doughnut coil is mentioned merely'by wayof example; it being a part of this invention to provide a coil locatedeither externally or internally of the shell of the filter which willestablish, when energized, magnetic lines of force through the fluidlubricant in its passage through the filter. The magnetic fieldestablished by the coil will cause an accumulation of the floatingmetallic substances and other impurities in theoil at a point dependentupon the directionof the lines of magnetic force. In one instance themagnetic field established by the coil may cause an accumulation of theimpurities in the vicinity of the outer shell while in another instancethe magnetic lines of force may be of such a character as to force theimpurities away from the coil as will be obvious; the direction or thelines of force being determined in accordance with the passage of thefluid lubricant through the filter, it being the objectof the inventionto prevent the passage of these impurities to the parts to belubricated. In all events, regardless of the direction of the magneticlines of force the coil is adapted to be energized by the generator forthe purpose of influencing travel of the impurities in the lubricant soas to prevent their passage to parts to be lubricated.

After breaking of the circuit and loss of residual magnetism, theaccumulated particles and other impurities may fall by gravity to thebottom of the filter and may be removed in any desired manner.

In the construction described above it is to be understood, of course,that suitable insulation will be provided in order to'properly establishthe magnetic fields; As an example of-a construction with which aninternal coil is associated with the center piece, the outer shell ofthe filter will preferably be made of non-magnetic material. In the useof an external coil portions of the outer shell of the filter may bemade of non-magnetic material such as'brass, for example, and theportions adapted for cooperation with the coil will be made of suitablemagnetic material. 1

Obviously the invention disclosed herein is susceptible of manymodifications and it is not to,be

understood that the invention is limited to thefilter including an outernon-magnetic shell and an interiorly arranged filter element havingportions thereof formed of magnetic material and other portions formedof fabric or the like, the combination of a solenoid imbedded in saidfabric and connected to a source of electric current and a plurality'ofmagnetic elements imbedded in said fabric in spaced relation withrespect to said solenoid whereby upon energization of the solenoidmagnetic fields are established within the filter adapted to influencethe travel of metallic substances and other impurities in the fluidlubricant passing through said filter.

2. A combined 'filter and magnetic separator comprising a casing, a sumpat the lower end of said casing, anupstanding hollow core mounted insaid casing above said sump. a solenoid surrounding said core, aplurality of spaced disks of magnetic material surrounding said core,disks of filtering material mounted in the spaces between said magneticdisks, means for intermittently-energizing said solenoid wherebymetallic particles caught by said disks will be precipitated to saidsump when the solenoid is de-energized.

3. In a device of the class described, a casing, a sump in the lowerpart of said casing, a core of magnetic material mounted in the upperpart of said casing, said core having longitudinal and radial passagestherein, a strainer gauze surrounding said-core, a solenoid surroundingsaid core,

